Australians mark Mabo Day

The landmark Mabo Decision that led to native title rights for Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander peoples has been celebrated with a Melbourne concert.

Performers at the Melbourne event marking Mabo Day.

Performers at the Melbourne event marking Mabo Day. Source: SBS

The historic Mabo decision has been celebrated at Melbourne's Federation Square, capping off Reconciliation Week.

In Mabo v Queensland, Meriam man Eddie Koiki Mabo challenged the notion of 'Terra Nullius' that Australia was a 'land belonging to no one', in the High Court of Australia.

His victory and the resulting decision recognised native title rights for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australia for the first time since colonisation.

On June 3, 1992, it was ruled that the Meriam people of the Murray Islands were entitled to the possession, occupation, use and end enjoyment of the islands, setting a precedent for native title cases throughout Australia.

Mabo Day was celebrated at Federation Square with a family-friendly concert featuring performances by the acclaimed Torres Strait Islander dance troupe Gerib Sik, as well as live music from Luke Captain, Monica Weightman and Black Sistaz.

Community groups also marked the occasion by posting messages on social media. 

Others wrote of their personal connection to the day.

A number of politicians also noted the significance of the day.

Mabo: Life Of An Island Man broadcasts on NITV (Channel 34) at 8.30pm Sunday, 3 June. 


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